O-31 COVID-19 Pandemic Response through the Regional Tourism and Health Program

Methods: THP was developed to support the coalescence of health and safety into Caribbean tourism. With the advent of COVID-19, THP expanded and realigned its suite of RPGs for more rapid and relevant response, including the expansion of its electronic, early warning and response Tourism and Health Information System (THiS), and Caribbean Vessel Surveillance System (CVSS), tourism health technical guidelines, capacity building, advancing the Caribbean Traveller’s Health Assurance Stamp for Healthier Safer Tourism (HST), COVID-19 Tourism Task Force, advocacy, promotion, partnerships and networks.

Results: This was expanded to include restaurants, tours, transportation, airlines, yachts, with an increase in the number of countries and facilities using THiS by 58% and 81% and the capturing of COVID-19 cases that would have gone unnoticed. Approximately, 1583 CVSS alerts were sent to Member States resulting in denying the ship’s entry or other public health measures. Rapid response mitigation activities involving the accommodations and maritime sectors followed. Nine technical guidelines were produced, almost 8000 persons trained in COVID-19 measures, 110 tourism entities awarded the HST stamp, partnerships were strengthened, there were social media boosts (85,000 post reach), 7 magazine ads promoting HST and 27 videos were produced.

Conclusion: This tourism-focused multifaceted approach of enhancing surveillance, response, training, awards, partnerships and advocacy, strengthened national and regional capacity to mitigate against COVID-19 and other health threats, demonstrating the necessity of THP in responding to the pandemic in tourism-dependent Caribbean region.